In this week’s issue, Forkliftaction.com News turns the spotlight on John Maybury, the USA-based Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA)’s president for 2006. John shares with us his passion for materials handling, stemming from 30 years in the business and talks about what MHEDA is doing to promote awareness of the industry among the general (and young) populace. If you know of someone you’d like to see profiled in Forkliftaction.com News, email info@forkliftaction.com. We wish all our Christian readers a Happy Easter!

A German newspaper has reported that Linde AG plans to find a buyer for its forklift division before the northern hemisphere summer.

The Die Welt report, picked up by Dow Jones International News and Reuters International, said Linde AG had appointed investment bank Morgan Stanley to organise the sale. Since Linde announced its intended takeover of UK gas group BOC, speculation has been rife that Linde would sell its forklift division to fund the acquisition (Forkliftaction.com News #244).

According to the report, an auction would be held after May.

Linde AG head of external communications Uwe Wolfinger said the report was “inaccurate”.

“We did not appoint Morgan Stanley to sell the forklift business,” he said. “As we said before we are considering various strategic options for our material handling business segment … nothing is decided yet.”

In a statement to Forkliftaction.com News, Carl Smith said he did not think Linde AG would dispose of its materials handling unit, based on information in the German group’s press releases and his discussions with Linde AG chief executive officer Wolfgang Reitzle.

“There is no doubt our chairman, Professor Reitzle realises a major benefit and opportunity for Linde by expanding the gas division through acquisition (Forkliftaction.com News #254).

“It is also evident … he and the Linde AG board recognise the tremendous contribution the materials handling business adds to Linde’s overall business,” Smith said.

Powerfleet vice president Ryan Mouritzen said the first Mobicon to hit the US market was currently performing demonstrations in Long Beach, California.

“Mobicon systems have been in business for more than 10 years. The manufacturer is based in Australia and has sold more than 50 machines to date,” he said. Designed and manufactured in Australia, the Mobicon container handlers will be assembled in the USA.

Mouritzen said the machine, which had originated from its predecessor, a stationary gantry crane, had no “real, direct competitors”.

“There are the obvious top pick container stackers that cost more but do not provide the flexibility and manoeuvrability Mobicom does.”

The Mobicom was designed to unload trucks and carry containers around sites, up ramps and into buildings. It has a 73,000lb (33,112kg) lift capacity.

Mouritzen praised the machine for having the “lightest axle loading of any container handler in the world”. The Mobicon has a wheel loading of six tonnes when carrying a 26-tonne container. That allowed the machine to work on pavements without damaging them.

The container handler has a low centre of gravity, leading Powerfleet to claim it was the safest container handler on the market.

Powerfleet Inc, based in Arlington, Virginia, is the sole agent in the USA for Mobicon and Meclift machinery.

Canada-based Omega Lift Distributors Inc has found a distributor to market the Omega 4D multiloader to the global market.

The forklift is currently distributed through Omega’s dealer network in the USA and Canada but that is set to change with the appointment of Design Storage & Handling Inc, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, as its USA exclusive distributor.

Omega Lift president Greg Pannia said Design Storage, part-owned by Hubtex Germany, would pave the way for the machine to be distributed in Europe and Australia.

“We currently sell rough-terrain forklifts globally but not the 4D multiloaders because we hadn’t found the right distributor,” he said. “This will open distribution rights for Hubtex and open global markets in Europe and Australia for Omega Lift.”

Omega Lift sells about 200 multiloaders annually, 80 per cent to the US market. With Design Storage as exclusive distributor, multiloader sales to the USA are expected to double this year.

Pannia said the agreement with Design Storage was a win-win situation for both parties.

“Omega Lift will be able to expand its global presence while Design Storage will now have the widest product range, as far as side loaders are concerned.

Design Storage would also benefit Omega Lift dealers with technical support and training. Parts for the multiloader would be stored at Fredericksburg.

“Once distributorship is up and running in the USA we will announce a later date for distributorship in Europe and Australia,” Pannia said.

In its 2005 review, Kalmar parent company Cargotec Corp said the Stockholm-based container handling and heavy material handling provider experienced strong demand in all regions for all product lines.

The review said 282 straddle carriers were delivered in 2005, a 30 per cent increase on 2004. Orders for Kalmar’s seventh generation straddle carriers, introduced in June 2004, were received from German, Australian, South African and Réunion ports.

“It’s unique to triple the volume of equipment ordered from one year to another,” Kalmar spokesperson Benoit Passard said of the RTG cranes.

The number of forklifts and log stackers ordered by the paper and forestry industry was “record breaking” but would only be available when Kalmar’s first quarter results are released in Cargotec’s interim report on April 24.

Commenting on the new toplift, custom designed for the North American container handling market and introduced in November 2005, Passard said Kalmar had received “very positive results with several deals already signed” (Forkliftaction.com News #237).

Kalmar received orders for its empty container handlers from the Port of Rashid and Jebel Ali Port, in the United Arab Emirates, and Sabah Ports, Malaysia, last year.

Milwaukee forklift operator Juan Renteria, 20, was arrested and accused of working at a printing plant to steal copies of Business Week magazine before it was available to the public.

US attorney Michael Garcia said Renteria provided the Wall Street analysts with tips on what would appear in Business Week's “Inside Wall Street” column.

Merrill Lynch analyst Shpigelman provided information on pending mergers or acquisitions in exchange for cash, according to a criminal complaint filed in a Manhattan court.

Plotkin and David Pajcin, a former Goldman Sachs employee, made around USD6.4 million trading on Shpigelman's tips while information from Renteria allowed them to make USD340,000 by trading in 20 stocks just before the stocks received favourable mentions in Business Week, Garcia said.

Mark Schonfeld, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s regional director, said:
“We’ve never seen before a case involving so many different attempts to obtain information illegally.”

Cascade introduces RFHC Option for Mark 55 Push Pull attachment:
PORTLAND, Oregon-USA – In its quest to remain at the top of the materials handling industry, Cascade Corporation has introduced a Radio Frequency Hydraulic Control (RFHC) option for their Mark 55 Push/Pull. The Mark 55 Push/Pull is the solution for operations that must handle both slipsheeted and palletized product. Hydraulically positionable outer platens are easily opened for conventional slipsheet handling and closed to allow pallet handling. In addition, the Mark 55 Push/Pull allows 4-way handling of the popular Mark 55 block pallet.

Meet John Maybury, the Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA) president, for 2006. He’s a passionate man who wants to see more “new edgers” involved in the materials handling industry. Forkliftaction.com News reporter Christine Liew spoke with him this week.